Port of Townsville board meets in Cloncurry

The huge volume of primary produce, both livestock and mineral, from the Cloncurry region that passes through the Port of Townsville, was acknowledged when the port’s board met in the north west town on Monday.

The huge volume of primary produce, both livestock and mineral, from the Cloncurry region that passes through the Port of Townsville, was acknowledged when the port’s board met for the first time in the north west town on Monday.

According to mayor, Greg Campbell, the shire had three pillars driving it, in cattle, mining and transport, which in turn help to drive Queensland’s economy, and the visit was an acknowledgement of that.

“We extended an invitation believing it would be a great opportunity for the board to visit Cloncurry as much of the product that is shipped through the Port of Townsville originates from our shire,” he said.

In the last financial year, just under 200,000 head of cattle were exported through the port from all over the north west, and numbers are up 17 per cent on that this year at the second largest cattle port after Darwin.

Mineral exports have been 45pc of the port’s total tonnage, with more than 30 different commodities finding their way from the north west to overseas markets through the port.

Port of Townsville board chairwoman, Renita Garard, said Cloncurry had been a significant contributor to trade through the port throughout its 154-year history.

“With new mining projects coming online and growing demand for agricultural produce, the region will continue to play a vital role in the port’s future,” she said.

The board is committed to holding three meetings outside of Townsville each year in a bid to better understand key stakeholders and the supply chain network.

Following their meeting, the executive team undertook a town tour and visited MMG’s Dugald River zinc project to further enhance its understanding of the supply chain of the product being handled at the eastern shipping link.